Enjoy These Tasty Three Greek Fried Patty Creations

Leek Patties

Bite-sized fried fritters, commonly known as keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Jewish culinary traditions. These particular leek fritters offer a delicious combination of rich minced beef with the gentle, sweetly mild taste of leeks, making them absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Wash the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the roots and most of the green tops. Chop lengthwise longways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and place in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and spice and flavor generously with seasoning. Mix well using your palms then mold a few scoops into a patty, pressing a slightly. Put on a tray and continue for the balance of the ingredients.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until crispy on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this drops the temperature of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a real pleasure. The crunchy exterior opens up to a creamy filling. The spinach brings a vibrant, moderately natural flavor, while the dairy offers a savory, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with steamed, crushed spuds if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

When using fresh spinach, rinse it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once cooked, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and reserve.

If using defrosted spinach, completely press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Stir well until combined. If the mixture looks too loose, add some more crumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a nut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Fry the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes per side, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a pan and cover with enough cold water. Boil over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the pulses submerged if required.

Stir in the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the